Trump Teases “Big Surprises” Linked to OMB Chief Russ Vought Ahead of Midterms

The comment was made less than a month before the 2024 midterm elections and was followed by a Truth Social post urging supporters to “Watch for the ‘Midterm Surprise!’” Trump has not provided details about the nature of the surprises.

Newsweek

Russ Vought serves as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the office that helps the president develop the federal budget, reviews agency regulations, and coordinates executive-branch management. Vought is also a principal architect of Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation-led, 900-page blueprint that envisions sweeping changes to federal agencies, presidential authority, and government operations. While the playbook contains proposals affecting election-law enforcement, Vought’s own chapter focuses on presidential authority over the bureaucracy rather than on elections. The OMB does not have authority to run state or local elections, but it does influence federal spending that supports election-related programs.

Newsweek

Neither Trump nor any White House spokesperson has indicated that the “surprise” pertains to election administration. The White House, the OMB, and the America First Policy Institute declined comment when contacted. Analysts note that the OMB’s influence could manifest through new grant programs, workforce announcements, or executive orders, but no concrete plan has been disclosed.

Newsweek

Democratic strategist Jessica Tarlov warned that the timing could be used to “steal an election.” Former U.S. attorney Joyce Vance described the remarks as suggesting “election interference in the offing.” Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci pointed out that Trump previously denied any involvement with Project 2025 in July 2024, calling the current reference contradictory.

Newsweek

• “Trump's remarks about a 'Midterm Surprise' are spin, and the spin is the point,” — Matt Klink, strategist and president

Newsweek